1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which provides a mark on an original document, the mark representing a completion of scanning of the original document.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a structure of a conventional facsimile apparatus having an image scanning apparatus therein. The facsimile apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 transmits and receives image information through a communication network. The facsimile apparatus 1 has an image scanning apparatus 2 and a recording apparatus 3. The image scanning apparatus scans an original to obtain the image information. The recording apparatus 3 outputs the image information scanned by the image scanning apparatus 2 or the image information received from a remote facsimile apparatus. The original document to be scanned is placed on an original document table 4. The presence of the original document and the size of the original document are detected by an original document detecting unit 5. A separating unit 6 separates each original document so as to feed a plurality of original documents one after another. Each original document is further fed by a pair of first conveying rollers 7. A pair of second conveying rollers 8 feeds each original document while rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the first conveying rollers 7. A scanner 9 is located between the pair of first rollers 7 and the pair of second rollers 8 so as to scan each original document fed by the rollers 7 and 8. The scanner 9 sends image information to an image processing unit (not shown in the figure) provided in the facsimile apparatus 1. A marker unit 10 marks an indication (hereinafter referred to as a scan completion mark) representing completion of the scanning operation for the original document as shown in FIG. 2. A circle is marked on the original document when the scanning operation is completed. The scanned original document is then ejected to an original document tray 11. A recording sheet tray 12 receives recording sheets ejected by the recording apparatus 3.
In the above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus 1, only one side of the original document is scanned, and the scan completion mark is marked only on the scanned side of the original document. FIG. 3 shows a part of a structure of another image forming apparatus in which the original document is turned over by a turn over unit 13 so as to scan both sides of the original document. However, in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the scan completion mark can be provided on only one side of the original document. Additionally, the scan completion mark provided by the above-mentioned image forming apparatus cannot indicate whether the scanning operation for both sides or only one side of the original document has been completed.
It should be noted that the scan completion mark may be provided after completion of a transmitting operation of the image information obtained by the scanning performed by the scanner 9, or after temporarily storing the image information in a memory. The scan completion mark provided after completion of the transmitting operation of the image information may be hereinafter referred to as a transmission completion mark.